Thursday, November 25, 2010

The firefighters of Engine Co. 28 and Ladder Co. 11 in the East Village have begun posting unsanctioned tweets to alert local residents when the company is unable to respond to emergency calls, The Post has learned.

"We're just trying to let people know when we're not around," said a source familiar with the instant-messaging tactic, which has nothing to do with the FDNY's official Twitter account.

According to unofficial Fire Department logs obtained by The Post, Engine Co. 28 and Ladder Co. 11 were pulled out of service on 20 occasions last month for everything from mechanical failure to training, and to cover other firehouses when other units are pulled from service.

"Technically, you're going to increase response times," said the source. "People should know when their fire company is out of service. It's the taxpayers' money. It's your money."

The FDNY claims that units are routinely pulled from service for various reasons and it does not present a danger to the public."There is ample coverage on the Lower East Side," said an FDNY spokesman. "There are redundancies built into the response."

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